Switch



Jan. 5, 1937. P. w. SHEATSLEY SWITCH Filed NOV. 8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 /Nl /VTOR R W SHE/17251.5)

ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1937. P. w. SHEATSLEY 2,065,490

SWITCH Filed Nov. 8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R m SHEA TSL'EY fiaswi ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1937. P. w. SHEATSLEY SWITCH Filed Nov. '8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. /2

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7 w nan w n I 4 0 9 g wwa "Wm/Ton P. W SHEATSLEV capaci of automatic switches for making selec-.

Patented Jan. 5,

UNITED "STATES zoos-.490

SWITCH rsni Weidner siren-us. mun! assignm- -'to American Telephone and 'lelemph Company, a corporation of New York Application November ,s, ms, Serial No. 48,905

This invention relates to switching devices and particularly to selective switches for use in a tomatlc telephone systems The objects of the invention are to enlarge the tive co ections without creasing their size or complicating the 'appara involved; to improve their releasing operation; to reduce the current consumption required for the operation of such switches, and tocotherwise eil'ect improvements therein.

Switches of the cross-bar type have been devised heretofore in which a set'of cross-point contacts, once operated by the conjoint action of the two associated operating magnets, are held in operated condition independently of either-magnet, thus permitting the deenergization of the operating magnets while the connection is held. when the connection is no longer required the cross-point contacts are released by reoperating one'o'f the magnets that originally caused the closure of these contacts. A switch of this kind is shown in the patent to Clark 1,572,380 of February 9,1926. In this patent the contacts at a cross-point are operated by the rotation of the horizontal bar, which is latched in its rotated position to hold the contacts closed and to permit the magnet to be deenergized. To release the bar and thus open the contacts, the magnet is again energized to trip the latch mechanism.

It has also been proposed to hold the contacts at a cross-point operated independently of either of the coordinate bars or their operating magnets. A switch of this character is shown in the'patent to J. G. Ferguson, No. 2,055,656, granted Sept. 29, 1936. Here the contacts, onceoperated, are held by an auxiliary magnet-individual to the contact set, and the operating bars are both' released for further operation to control other contact sets.

According to a feature of the present invention the contacts of across-point are closed by the conjoint operation of two bars, which act on a flexible selecting finger, and the contacts are maintained in their closed condition by a me.- chanical holding device that holds the finger in its adjusted position. Thus, the bars and their magnets may be released and reoperated to close other cross-point contacts without disturbing the set already closed. When it is desired to release a contact set, the selecting bar, which was previously operated in a particular direction 'to cause the closure of said contact set, is now selecting finger from the holding device and per- 3 mit the restoration of the contact set. Inthis way the selecting bar may be reoperated in its contact-closing direction to set up several successive connections without releasing the previously closed contact sets.

Another feature of the invention is a switch in which the operating bar is movable in either of two directions to cause the selection and operation of either one, of. two contact sets and in 10 which the'same bar is movable in either of said directions to causethe release of said contact sets. In this case the bar, having been moved in either direction to cause the selection and closure of the corresponding set of contacts. is 15 later moved inthe other direction to cause the release of that contact set.

Theseand otherfeatures of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following detailed description and also in the appended claims.

' The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a cross-bar switch embodying the features of the invention;

, Fig. 2 is afragmentary perspective of the u cross-bar switch showing a holding device, portions of a horizontal bar and a vertical bar, their operating magnets, and a contact set controlled by said bars;

Fig. 3 is a top-plan view of the structure shown 30 in 8.

Fig. 4 is'a view similar to Fig. 3, except that the contacts are in operated condition;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the mechanism in the 5 various stages of operation;

, Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective of the cross-bar switch showing an alternative construction 'of the holding devices;

, Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are enlarged details of the 40 alternative construction and show different positions of the contact-operating mechanism;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of the holding mechanism shown inFigs. 2 to 10,'inclusive.

For a more complete description of a switch of 45' the kind to which this invention is particularly applicable reference is made to the patent application of J. N. Reynolds, Serial No. 702,453, flied December 15, 1933, granted as Patent 2,021,329, Nov. 19, 1935. The invention is not limited to the 50 specific construction shown in'said patent nor to the specific embodiments herein described and shown but may be applied generally to switching devices in which contact sets are selectively operated and held. 1

Referring now to the drawings and primarily to Fig. 1, the structure comprises a frame including a U-shaped upper horizontal frame member ll and'a U-shaped lower horizontal frame member i i and vertical side frame members I! and II, said side members being of L-shaped cross-section with their upper and lower ends welded to the horizontal frame members ll and Ii, respectively. The sides of the horizontal frame members II and ii, and the one side of the L-shaped vertical frame members if and II are turned inward towards the center of the switch structure. Between the horizontal frame members It and II are mounted a number of vertical assembly units ll. Each of these units comprises a vertical plate I! secured to the rear sides It and I! of the upper and the lower horizontal frame members Ill and Ii by means of lugs 2i and 22 engaging slots 23 and 24, respectively, in the rear sides I! and is. The plate I! is securely fastened in the front to the front sides 29 and III of the horizontal frame members l0 and II by means of screws 21 and 20 inserted through the bent lugs 2! and 28, respectively, forming part of said plate i1.

0n the rear portion of each of the plates I] is suitably mounted a series of ten sets of contact strips 3|. These contact strips Ii are suitably spaced and insulated from one another. At the front portion of each plate I! is secured a group of contact strips ll separated by intermediate insulation washers 42 and metal spacing bushings 43. An outer insulation washer and metal spacing washer are provided in the pile, and all these parts are connected together and secured to the plate I! by means of a bolt 41 screwed into the plate i1 and a nut screwed on the bolt 41. Three of these bolts I1 and associated spacing and insulation parts are provided for each pile of strips I as shown in Fig. 1. The horizontal strips 3| extend between the adjacent vertical strips 4| and are arranged to make connections between corresponding vertical and horizontal strips when the horizontal strips are operated. The horizon tal strips 3| are spaced apart by means of studs 53 (Fig. 3). Each of these studs 53 is secured to one horizontal strip and spaces the strips on either side thereof. Each of these studs 53 has a turned-down portion 54 which projects through a hole in the strip 3| and the stud 53 is suitably attached to the strip 3i. The inside strip of the group 3| is provided with a special stud 58 which is similar to the stud 53 except that its enlarged portion 59 engages an additional'strip member secured to the plate I! in the same pile as strips 3|. A bent-in U-shaped portion ii of strip 60 is engaged by this portion 59. The purpose of this strip 60 and its U-shaped portion 6i will become apparent hereinafter in connection with the description of the operation of the switch.

On each plate I! and secured in a suitable manner to said plate there is mounted near the bottom an operating magnet 14. On the plate I! is also mounted the corresponding vertical bar 19 having an L-shaped cross-section and a projecting armature ll positioned to be attracted by the core of magnet 14 to rotate the bar I9. The vertical bar 19 is mounted to rock with the edge of plate I1 as a fulcrum. The vertical bar I! is held in place on the vertical unit It by suitable means, such as spring I 58, shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Also a spring member 86 is secured on the back of plate H to engage one side of the L-shaped vertical bar I! at its lower end and to hold it in the normal or non-operated position. The side of the vertical bar ll projecting inwardly in a more or less parallel position in relation to the plate i1 is provided with prongs or projections I! which are connected to a vertical member II. This member II is secured at a right angle to the projections C1 and is provided with slots II for the operation of the switch as will presently be described. This construction is particularly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 9. In front of and to the left of plate I1 is mounted a holding device II which is suitably mounted at the top and the bottom by the screws 21 and 2|. This holding device II has a projection ll extending from its right side for each set of contact springs.

The horizontal bars I! are mounted in front of the vertical units II on brackets DI which are suitably secured to the vertical L-shaped side members I! and I I of the frame. Bearing screws 04 secured in the brackets 03 extend into bearing sleeves 06 secured to the ends of the selecting bars 02 for the rotation of the bars 02. The upper horizontal bar 82, referring to Fig. 1, has its armature 01 secured at its left-hand end while the remaining bars 92 have their armature secured at alternate opposite ends, that is, the second bar from the top has its armature on the right-hand end and thethird bar has its armature on the left-hand end, etc. This armature 01 extends upwardly and downwardly from the bar 82 in front of the cores of upper andlower magnets SI and 98 to cause the-selecting bar 92 to be rotated in one direction by the magnet 98 and in the other direction by the magnet 9!. Each selecting bar 02 is therefore controlled by the magnets It and 09. These magnets 9| and 0! are mounted in pairs on the inwardly projecting side of the L-shaped vertical frame members I! and I! in a suitable manner. Each armature 91 has a projection or member ill bent at practically right angles to the armature proper and extending toward the rear of the structure outside of the respective frame members i2 and I I. An illustration of the projection is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The horizontal bars 82 carry a plurality of flexible operating fingers H5, one for each set of crosspoint contacts.

Referring now to the operation of the switch, to establish a connection between the individual vertical strips 4| in a vertical row and the corresponding set of horizontal contact strips ll in the switch shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, requires the operation of a corresponding horizontal bar 92 in a counter-clockwise direction (viewed from the right) and the operation of a corresponding vertical bar 18. The operation of the switch is best described in connection with Fig. 2 which shows a portion of a horizontal bar 2, a portion of a vertical bar 19, a portion of the holding device II and portions of a corresponding set of contact strips in the two adjacent rows controlled by the horizontal bar .2. A connection, for example, with the set of horizontal strips II and the vertical strips ll may be established by first operating the horizontal bar 82 in the counber-clockwise direction by the energizing of magnet The selecting finger Ill on bar I! is moved from the normal position shown in Pig. 5 to a position in front of the spring ll of the set of horizontal contact strips and across the U- shaped portion ll of spring 8. as shown in Fig. 8. As the flexible finger Iii moves to the position shown in Pig. 6, it engages the cam surface III (Fig. 13) of the stationary holding arm 18. The armltissopositionedthatthefingerlilengagel said arm slightly before the bar 92 reaches its fully operated position. This relation causes the finger H9 to flex slightly. Next the vertical bar 19 is rotated by the energization of the associated vertical magnet 14. The rotation of the bar I9 causes the member 89 to press the free end of the selecting finger H against the contact operating spring 99 and to move both finger and spring 88 to the left as viewed in Figs. 5, 6, '1, and 8. As the finger H9 is flexed to the left it rides along the cam surface iii of the holding arm I9, and the associated set of contacts are closed by the movement of the spring 99 under the force exerted by the finger H5. When the vertical bar 19 reaches its fully operated position the member 89 has moved through a distance just sufilcient to cause the finger H5 to pass the apex of the cam surface Iii on the holding arm 18. The tension stored in the finger H5 by the rotary bar 92, which is still operated, now causes the finger to slide along the cam surface I52 and into the holding recess 11 of the arm 18. The relative positions of the different parts at this stage of the operation are seen in Fig. 7. The vertical magnet II is released first and is followed by the release of the selecting magnet 99. The flexible selecting finger H5 remains in the position shown in Fig. 8 and thereby keeps the associated crosspoint operated. Bar 92 returns to its normal position, and both vertical and horizontal bars may now be used to initiate connections at other crosspoints. A reoperation of vertical bar 19 for setting some other cross-point contacts does not disturb the contacts already closed because the finger H5 holding these closed contacts is beyond the reach of the member 89 of the reoperated vertical bar 19. In moving into the recess 11, finger I I5 slides along cam surface I52 to a point where it is not touched by member 89.

When it is desired to release a contact set, the horizontal bar 92, which was previously operated in a counter-clockwise direction to cause the closure of said contact set, is now operated in a clockwise direction by magnet 98 to disengage the selecting finger H5 from the projection 18 of holding device 75 and permit the restoration of the associated contact set.

With the structure described the selecting bar 92 may be reoperated in its contact closing direction to set up several successive connections on adjacent cross-points without releasing the previously closed contact sets. The finger H6 is tensioned to bear against the edge of member 89 in the slot 99 and the slot 90 is of such width that it will confine the upward and downward movements of the finger H5 to the proper upper and lower position in front of the springs 89 of the corresponding groups of contact strips.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 12, there is here shown a variation in the type of holding bar. The holding device I5 shown in these figures is similar to the holding device 15 described previously herein on Figs. 2 to 8, inclusive, except that the holding device 15 has an additional projection 18 for holding the finger I IS. The addition of this projection l8 permits holding a cross-point operated when the horizontal bar 92 is operated in either the clockwise or the counter-clockwise direction. The double sets of contacts at each cross-point controlled by a single operating finger H5 are shown in detail in Figs. 10 to 12. Thus the capacity of the switch may be increased.

When the horizontal bar 92 is operated in the clockwise direction by the energization of magnet 99, the selecting finger 9 moves to the upper position as shown in Fig. 11., when the horizontal bar 92 is operated in a counter-clockwise direction by the energization of magnet 99, the selecting finger H9 moves to the lower position. When the vertical bar 19 is operated by the energization of the corresponding magnet It, the selecting finger III on horizontal bar 92 is moved so as to engage the projection 18 or the projection I8 on the holding device I9, depending on whether the magnet 99 or 99 is energized. The particular cross-point having been operated remains in this position, being held there by the associated selecting finger I it, which is latched in the recess ll of the corresponding projection. Operating the horizontal bar 92 in a direction opposite to that in which it was previously operated releases the cross-point as described heretofore.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination in a switching mechanism of a set of circuit making contacts, operating bars, means responsive to the conjoint action of two of said bars for operating said contact set, holding means for maintaining said contact set in operated condition following the release of said bars, and means for operating one of said bars to effect the release of said contact set.

2. The combination in a switching mechanism of a set of circuit making contacts, operating bars, means responsive to the operation of said bars for operating said contact set, locking means for holding the contacts of said set in their operated condition following the release of said bars, and-means for reoperating one of said bars to disable said locking means and effect the restoration of said contacts.

3. The combination in a switch of a set of circuit making contacts, operating bars, a flexible element responsive to the operation of said bars for closing the contacts of said set, holding means for holding said flexible element in its actuated position to maintain said contacts closed after said bars have been restored to normal, and means for operating one of said bars to effect the release of said flexible element and the restoration of said contact set.

4. In an automatic switch, a set of circuit contacts, a first bar, a second bar, means for operating said bars, a flexible selecting element on said first bar responsive to the action of both said bars to close said contacts, holding means for maintaining said contacts closed following the release of said bars, and means to reoperate said first bar to cause the restoration of said contacts.

5. The combination in a switch of a set of contacts, a first bar having a flexible element thereon for causing the closure of said contacts, means for operating said bar in one direction, a second bar and means for operating it to move said flexible element, means to hold said contacts closed following the release of said bars, and means for operating said first bar in a second direction to cause the release of said contacts.

6. The combination in an automatic switch of a plurality of circuit making contacts, a first operating bar having a flexible element thereon for causing the closure of one of said sets of contacts, means for rotating said bar in one direction to position said flexible element, a second bar and means for operating it to further position said flexible element, a locking member for locking said flexible element in its adjusted position to hold said operated contacts in their closed condition following the restoration of said first and second operating bars, and means for rotating said first bar in the other direction to disengage .said flexible element from said holding means to 15 bar in the other direction to cause the operation wwmmlwmt of said second set of contacts and the release of said first set of contacts.

8. The combination in an automatic switch of a first set of contacts, a second set of contacts, an operating bar for causing the operation of the contacts oi either set, means to hold either set of contacts in operated condition independently of the position of said bar, means to operate said bar in one direction either to cause the operation of said first set oi contacts or the release of said second set of contacts, and means to operate said bar in another direction either to cause the operation of said second set of contacts or the release oi said first set of contacts.

' PAUL WEIDNER SHEATSLE'Y. 

